Wang Shi handed the child to Su Minghui and sat in a chair in the front hall with little enthusiasm, clearly still affected by Su Cuiping's earlier words.
Su Minghui didn't notice Wang Shi's unusual mood. He carefully took the baby and held it. "This is my grandson? He looks so energetic. Oh! Is it a boy or a girl?"
"It's a boy," Leng Kui said with a silly grin, also happy to see the infant.
Su Muqing tugged at Leng Kui's clothes and said with a very serious expression, "I've noticed that Sister Cuiping's mood is very off. If I'm not mistaken, she might have postpartum depression. So, Auntie, Sister Cuiping's bad attitude towards you just now was also because she's ill, so please don't take it to heart."
"Ill? Postpartum depression?"
"What is postpartum depression? Is it serious?"
"Muqing, Your Highness, is Cuiping beyond saving? She's so young, and she just gave birth..."
Su Muqing's words were like water poured into a hot oil pan, and Su Minghui, his wife, and Leng Kui all turned pale with fright.
Seeing the three of them terrified, Su Muqing raised her hand to stop their exclamations. "Listen to me first. This is an emotional illness. It can be mild or severe when it strikes. Pregnant women who develop this illness before or after childbirth can become very emotional."
"Then what exactly is it? Muqing, please explain it clearly..." Upon hearing that her daughter was ill, Wang Shi had long forgotten Su Cuiping's earlier unpleasant behavior towards her.
Su Muqing reached out and took Wang Shi's hand, feeling its icy coldness and tremor. She silently channeled some healing energy to stabilize her emotions.
"This illness is complicated. Patients experience sudden mood swings, prolonged periods of low mood, unhappiness, and an inability to feel joy. They might also cry for no reason. The most typical patients experience more severe low moods in the morning, which may lessen in the afternoon or evening."
Listening to Su Muqing, Wang Shi immediately recalled, "Yes! Ever since my son-in-law went to war, Cuiping has been crying often. Her pillow is frequently wet when she wakes up in the morning..."
"Some patients lose interest in activities they previously enjoyed, and cannot derive pleasure from their surroundings or daily life. They also can't experience the happiness of caring for their infant. They often feel fatigued, find everything difficult, feel weak and listless, and struggle to care for the baby, unable to recover their energy or strength even after rest or sleep."
"In addition to the two points I just mentioned, some patients may also experience anxiety, mania, difficulty concentrating, reduced self-esteem and self-worth, feelings of guilt, and worthlessness," Su Muqing listed the possible symptoms at once.
"These are not the most serious. I've seen some patients with depression who, due to prolonged sleep deprivation, developed mental illness and had suicidal or infanticidal thoughts or behaviors. So you must spend more time with her from now on, and it's best not to let her be alone."
As Su Muqing described the potential symptoms, Wang Shi listened with growing alarm. Since Su Cuiping became pregnant, she had exhibited almost all of these symptoms. She had not only changed as a person but practically treated herself like an enemy!
So all of this was because Cuiping was sick! The thought of her daughter suffering from a strange illness and undergoing surgery to give birth made Wang Shi feel even more distressed.
It seemed like as soon as one problem was resolved, another arose. "Good things come to those who wait" was likely the perfect explanation!
Actually, Su Muqing hadn't intended to be so detailed, fearing she might frighten them. However, she worried that if she withheld information and something happened to Su Cuiping, she would never have peace of mind.
Moreover, with her spatial abilities, she was confident she could cure Su Cuiping's depression. After much consideration, she decided to reveal all possible outcomes, both good and bad.
Seeing Wang Shi's distress, Su Muqing worried she might be overcome with fear. "Auntie, although this illness is a bit troublesome, I'm here for everything. Don't worry! I will definitely not let Sister Cuiping get into any trouble."
"Muqing, Auntie begs you, you must save your Sister Cuiping, otherwise I..." Wang Shi was truly trembling with fear, clutching Su Muqing's hand as if she were a lifesaver.
Leng Kui had remained silent since hearing Su Muqing's words. He looked sadly at the baby in Su Minghui's arms, his eyes filled with complex emotions.
He truly hadn't expected Su Cuiping to endure so much pain to give him a child. If he had known it would turn out this way, he would have been content to live their lives together without any children; what did it matter if they never had any!
Su Minghui, who had been happily holding his grandson, had his joy immediately overshadowed by the news of his daughter's serious illness.
Su Cuiping was his only daughter, and he had doted on her since childhood. Su Minghui held the tiny grandson tightly and tenderly, unable to speak from heartache.
Seeing that they were mentally prepared, Su Muqing then proceeded to explain the precautions for caring for Su Cuiping in detail.
Su Muqing handed Leng Kui a book on newborn care, telling him to read it when he had time. Given Su Cuiping's condition, it was not advisable for her to care for the baby alone, as it could very well worsen her illness.
Leng Kui tightly gripped the "Newborn Guide," wiped his face haphazardly, and returned to the bedroom with an extremely embarrassed smile.
Su Cuiping had only slept for a short while when the effects of the anesthetic began to wear off. Although Su Muqing had given her painkillers, the pain from having her abdomen cut open was inevitable.
An hour later, the anesthetic had completely worn off, and the room was filled with Su Cuiping's wails. Leng Kui and Wang Shi, unable to bear it, repeatedly implored Su Muqing to find a way to alleviate her pain.
Su Muqing hadn't expected Su Cuiping to be so intolerant of pain. Seeing how much she was suffering, Su Muqing could only increase the dosage of her pain relief medication.
As Su Cuiping began to press her abdomen for the first time, she cried out in agony. The baby, as if sensing something, also began to cry loudly.
Following Su Muqing's instructions, Leng Kui touched the baby's face with his finger and noticed that the baby turned its head back and forth with its mouth open, indicating it was hungry.
After giving the baby some warm water, he quickly stopped crying. A while later, Leng Kui gave him twenty milliliters of milk. Soon after, the baby defecated, passing greenish meconium.